The Dehydration Comparison
by Scooter12345
Summary: "There are those strange times in a person's life when they realize no matter what their mothers think . . . you can't program the need for care out of a person. It's simply human nature." Previously titled Without You.
1. My Own Devices

**I have no clue where in the series this would be. Just letting you know that. For sure before season five where Leonard and Penny are back together, before Priya too I'd think. **

**Most likely after the episode where Penny has a one night stand with Leonard and Leonard attempts to do the same to her. [I can't remember the season or the number] but somewhere around there. I think that's season two somewhere . . . ? **

He really didn't feel well. He rolled onto his side. His head hurt and he was tired. He fell asleep against his headboard. He wouldn't call anyone he was fine. He was used to being on his own. He was always left to his own devices now was no different.

The next time he woke up he hurt worse. His chest hurt his throat hurt. . . everything hurt so much. He was stiff and in a lot of pain. He pulled the blankets around his shoulders tighter he shivered. He was sweating profusely. He snuggled back under the sheets and fell asleep.

He woke up again coughing harshly. Oh God, how that hurt. Sitting up was a real challenge. He almost wished Sheldon was home. Oh GOD! Sheldon what time was it. He tried to get up but couldn't move his legs he was in so much pain.

He heard the door open.

"I don't know why he didn't come get you," Howard's voice reached his ears. "Leonard?"

"Leonard?" Sheldon's voice carried to his room. He could barely open his eyes.

Raj knocked and Leonard tried to respond but couldn't. He had no voice. Raj opened the door.

"Holy Crap," he knelt down and took Leonard's hand.

Sheldon and Howard appeared.

"Leonard tea and Soft Kitty are non optional." Sheldon said leaving the room.


	2. Warped Therapy Group or Hippies?

**I figured out where this is set. Late season 4. There I've put it in context for you. Not sure exactly where in season four just later in that season. I'd say March of that season. So, just a touch before summer. **

**Oh and my OC is introduced here. Her name is Shelby. She's Penny's niece. She's Penny's younger sister's [younger as in a year younger] daughter. Leonard and Penny watched her one summer before this and the entire gang absolutely fell in love with her. However, none more so the Howard and Bernadette. That's another fic for another time though. [I'm working on that.] **

Raj was still holding Leonard's hand and Howard was looking for the thermometer.

"Slip this under your tongue Leonard." Howard said with a gentle smile. He laid his hand gently on Leonard's forehead. Raj and Howard waited for the thermometer to beep.

The thermometer beeped. "Oh God," Howard whispered.

"How bad?" Raj asked. He looked at Leonard who was falling asleep. Howard handed the thermometer to him. "I'll go get some Motrin." Raj said.

Howard gently rang his fingers through Leonard's hair. He was sort of enjoying the comfort. "Are you in a lot of pain?"

Leonard shook his head. "Just feel like butt."

"Am I helping?" He asked.

Again Leonard nodded. "'s more than my mom . . ."

"I know more than she ever did . . . shhh . . ." Howard whispered. "Just relax. Sheldon's making tea and getting Penny. We'll figure out where to do from there."

"Howard . . ." he groaned.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"My stomach," he grit his teeth.

Howard was concluding it was the flu. "How bad is the pain?"

"Not bad I just feel crappy," Howard held his hand.

He stroked Leonard's hair again. "You're fever's up because your dehydrated Leonard. Why didn't you get Penny or call?" He said quietly. He was trying not to aggravate Leonard's headache or anything.

"It'll be alright buddy. You wanna sit up?" He asked looking at Leonard who looked as though he was about to be sick.

"Uh huh."

"Are you going to be sick buddy?" He asked.

"Uh-huh," he nodded. Howard grabbed the trash can and Leonard got sick.

"You're okay buddy." He swallowed back his own reflex and started to rub Leonard's back. "Everything's going to be just fine."

"Oh God, Leonard you should have gotten me sooner." Penny whispered. "Thank you Howard." She smiled. "Shh . . . sweetie." She whispered.

"Do you need anything Leonard?" Howard asked letting Penny stroke his hair now. He just took Leonard's hand letting him know he was still here.

Sheldon appeared in the door way. Despite being afraid of germs, this was Leonard. This was his friend. He had signed an agreement that in a subsection somewhere promised Leonard he'd take care of him. He expected Leonard to take care of him; he was coming to realize that what others did for him he should do for them. He set the tea down on the table. He then sat on the bed next to Howard.

To give a bit of a perspective: Howard was on the right side of the bed. Sheldon was under the covers with Leonard's head on his shoulder. Penny was on the left side of the bed. Raj was at the base of the bed.

Sheldon gave him a soft smile. It was a real sympathetic un-Sheldon like smile. It cause Howard to almost loose himself in giggles.

"We're like some kind of warped therapy group." He said with a grin.

"Or hippies," Leonard said miserably.

"Or hippies," Penny laughed.

"Just look at us. We're crazy aren't we?"

Penny realized her phone was buzzing. She pulled up Skype. "HI! Hi Aunt Penny! Where are you?"

"Oh look it's little Nebraskan."

"Hi Sheldor!" She grinned.

"Whacha need kiddo?" Penny asked.

"Oh nothing, I just wanted to say hi, cause mom and dad are gone and the babysitter is boring. Grandma's out of town so she can't rescue me. I was bored and I miss you."

"We miss you too Nebraskan," Sheldon admitted.

All eyes were on him now.

"You feeling alright Sheldon?" Howard joked.

"I do. You are so intelligent more so than Wollowizard over here," he heard her giggling.

"What's going on?" They heard the babysitter's gruff voice.

"Gotta go," she said sadly. "See y'all this summer." She waved.

"Bye kiddo," Leonard managed.

Penny noticed the look she gave her. "I'll Skype you later sweetheart."

"Kay." Penny smiled.

"You know she makes everyone feel better," Leonard smiled.

"I love that kid," Howard admitted.

"Everyone loves that kid, she's basically my kid. Her mom pays no attention to her . . . ever."

Leonard raised an eyebrow as he fell back to sleep on Sheldon's shoulder. Sheldon was humming Soft Kitty.

"She's been acting weird lately. I don't know why or how really. Just strange. Really strange. She's quieter. That's what it is."

"Has she mentioned anything?" Sheldon asked.

"No. Nothing. She's afraid or something. She won't tell me."

"Should we talk to her?" Howard asked. "Bernadette and I'd be very happy to. She misses her."

"I was going to have Amy talk to her."

"That's a good idea," Sheldon grinned. "She'll help."

"I figured you'd be pleased with that arrangement." She smiled. It faded too quickly. As if to say _Should I tell them? _

Howard looked at her. "Come on."

**Sorry if Sheldon was OOC this is my first time writing him. If anyone has s****uggestions ****I'm open to them. But please don't flame me. **


	3. The End

It was late. Raj had fallen asleep on the chair next to the sofa where Penny and Howard were sitting. Sheldon and Leonard were asleep in Leonard's room and Howard and Penny were on the couch discussing Shelby. They'd gotten some Motrin in Leonard and the fever had gone down almost instantly. Sheldon had offered to stay with him. Leonard was feeling better already. They figured the best thing now was sleep.

Shelby had seemed to be the best medicine for him. Penny smiled. Leonard and everyone were just counting down the days until she arrived.

"So, what's up?" He asked sitting her down on his left. Since he proposed to Bernadette he'd acted so much more mature. However, he still acted like a child sometimes. She'd be worried if he didn't.

"It's just Shelby." She said embarrassed.

"What about her?" He asked extremely concerned. "What's wrong with our . . . your Shelby."

"Wait you just said our," she said with a small smile.

"Bernadette and I . . . last time she was here over Christmas . . . well we, she and I, sorta babied her and watched movies with her and she was my influence to propose . . . actually."

"Oh, gosh . . . that's so sweet." She smiled.

"Yeah. Shelby was walking hand in hand with Bernadette down Main Street USA in Disneyland and . . . I don't know. I just noticed that she . . . you know . . . looked so beautiful with a little girl holding her hand. I wanted it to be that way forever. Then we came home and watched Tangled and it was right then . . . I knew that I wanted to be there for her . . . or him or whatever . . . like my dad wasn't for me."

"I want you and Bernadette to talk to Shelby." Penny said.

"That doesn't tell me why." He pushed.

"She's hurting Howard and you made her happy. You two made her feel like she had a mom and a dad somewhere. She's told me . . . my sister is never there for her. She loved being with you because you made her feel like she had someone out there who cared. Someone who was . . . looking out for her. She's hurting and they don't care."

"How Penny how is she hurting? I'm not going to judge you. Her hurting is NOT going to change my opinion of you."

"She's getting picked on and I don't know how to fix it okay? I was always popular. ALWAYS Howard. I can't help her. I can't fix it. You, Sheldon, Amy, Leonard, Raj and Bernadette, you all can fix it. I can't. I don't understand how it works. I don't understand what it's like to be shunned. I almost wish I did so I could fix it . . . so I could understand . . . so I could help." She hung her head.

"Why didn't you just say something?" He asked. "We'd be happy to help." He offered her a hug which she gladly accepted.

. . .

It was a long night. Penny skyped with her niece. Her niece also talked with Leonard over Skype. Penny noticed how she was helping him and he was having a similar effect on her. Leonard talked to her about her mother and her listened. He learned something from this conversation . . . everyone needs a little TLC sometimes.

"You know Shelby," he said to her with a small smile, "There are those strange times in a person's life when they realize no matter what their mothers think . . . you can't program the need for care out of a person. It's simply human nature. I was sick. I didn't ask for help. If I hadn't had such wonderful friends I could have become dyhdrated. Don't become dehydrated Shelby."

"Thanks Leonard. I can't wait to see you this summer. You will be here right?"

"Of course I will." He smiled. "I'm not going anywhere. It's just the flu. You're not getting rid of me that easily. . . I promise."

"Good. I'll see you soon." She smiled. "Tell everyone I miss them?"

"We all miss you too," he promised her. "So much."

"Night Leonard." She waved.

"Night Shell-Bell." He grinned.

"We love you Shelly," Penny smiled.

"See you in summer Nebraskan."

"Keep smiling," Howard grinned.

Raj waved. Shelby waved back and hung up.

Penny looked at everyone. "Alright all of you except for Sheldon and Leonard to the living room. Night you two." She said.

"Night." Leonard yawned.

The last thing she heard exiting the room was Sheldon's voice singing

_Soft Kitty_

_Warm Kitty_

_Little Ball of fur_

_Happy Kitty _

_Sleepy Kitty_

_Pur Pur Pur_

**The End**

**_This story is a bit shorter than orriginally intended but this was my first sick fic [that I've finished]! I'm so proud of myself! Small accomplishments should be celebrated. So please, constructive critisism only no flames._**

**_Keep smiling was a reference to Eeyore in the Tigger Movie._**


End file.
